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Monday, 10 June 2013

Rebecca Stoner

This week I have Rebecca Stoner as my designer showcase! Rebecca has a lovely hand drawn style which is both dainty and intricately designed. Rebecca is also a Yorkshire based designer, like myself, and is from the beautiful city of York. She set up her business in 2005 after she graduated and has been designing patterns for a number of different products aswell as working on commissions for a wide range of clients.

Last year she had some of her designs licensed by an American fabric company aswell as seeing her products on the high street and even being featured on television! Sounds like a very exciting year but she has more to tell us, at the beginning of the year she launched an online shop with Society6 where her designs are available on phone cases, cushions and laptop skins and she is also working on a commission with York Hospital for arcitectural glass and laser cut steel wall panels.

I asked Rebecca a couple of questions to find out a bit more about why she wanted to become a designer, what inspires her and how she describes her style.

What made you want to become a designer and what is it you like about patterns?

Before going to University I worked in offices doing accounts and admin work and hated it! I've always been creative and just knew I had to do something different. I went travelling and on my return I enrolled on an Art and Design degree. It was there that I discovered the wonderful world of surface pattern and I decided to specialise in Textile and Surface Pattern Design. I then went on to complete an MSc in CAD for Textile Designers. I love patterns and I'm just naturally drawn to anything with pattern on it. I couldn't believe you could have a career in creating patterns! (Me either!!!)

How would you describe your style and what is your favourite medium to work in?

My degree focused on screen printing as well as digital printing and I think this has influenced my style quite a lot. I try to incorporate hand printed textures and shapes in my design work as much as possible as I prefer this to just flat colour. More recently I've also enjoyed hand drawing patterns and developing them further on the computer. I also feel my travels have heavily influences a lot of my work and the trends and colours that I'm drawn to.

Whats inspires you and where do you find your inspiration?

As well as researching upcoming trends I find inspiration in many different places and environments and I'm always on the lookout for what will inspire my next design. I love walking with my dog and find that's a good time for me to think new ideas over. I'm drawn to retro and mid-century design and I'm also influenced by ethnic patterns and colours which probably stems from my travels. I've just joined Pinterest and find I can lose hours (not great for business!) soaking up the amazing inspirational images that you can find on there. (I know exactly what you mean, as I'm sure a great many other designers do too!)